Hall effect devices are magnetic field sensors that are adapted to sense a magnetic field based on the Hall effect. Moreover, Hall effect devices can be used for a variety of applications, such as proximity switching, positioning, speed detection and current sensing applications.
However, a major drawback of Hall effect devices (Hall plates or Hall sensors) is their high offset voltage, i.e. the output voltage at the sense contacts in the absence of a magnetic field component perpendicular to the surface of the active Hall region of the Hall effect device. Also contributing to the offset are all physical effects which cause an asymmetry in the potential distribution of the active Hall region. Possible sources include piezoresistive effects, geometrical errors, temperature gradients, non-linear material properties, etc. Additionally, the various offset sources may change over the lifetime of the Hall effect device.